Automatic multiple-record phonograph



sept. 4Q 19,23.

W. H. DAILY AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE RECORD PHONOGRAPH Filed July 25 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 N VEN Tok WM. H. DAILY @Www/wml@ ATTVS.

Sept. 4, 1923.

- w. H. DAILY AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE RECORD PHONOGRAPH Filed July 25, 1922 5 sheets-sheet 5 I /Nq/jNTaR WM. H. DA

(LY M Sept. 4, 1923.

' H..` EMILY AUTOMATIC MHJTiv-TIPEEPl PHONOGRAPH Filed July 25 1922 5v Sheets-Sheet 4 /N vE/v rol? WM. H. DAI/l.- Y

W Jl@ By f @gf-irs@ l T aZZ whom t may concern.'

WILLIAM H. DAILY, 0F ANGELES, CALIFURIA..

AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE-RECORD y rnoiioefaaifnt Application filed July 25, 1922. Serial No.`577,324.

Bc it known that I, WILLIAM H. DAILY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented newand useful Improvements in Automatic Multiple- Record Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to phonographs and more particularly to phonographs of the type involving a plurality of record-carrying tables, such, for instance, asis shown in my Patent, Number 1,168,606, dated January '5 into co-action with the stylus of the sound box and which will determine the position at u 'liich the needle or stylus registers with the record. Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically determining the instant at which the record will bc disengaged from the stylus and to provide manually operative means for accurately .adjusting the said regulating means Another object is to provide ameans for automatically stopping the mechanical rotation of the tone arm of the phonograph at certain positions, according to the size of the record, and to provide means for locking the stopping means in a set position. Other objects of the invention will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan of the improved phonograph.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the walls of the box removed to clearly disclose the mechanism ofthe machine.l

Fig. 3 is a plan partly in section, showing the adjustable slides for regulating the table.

elevation and showing the tripping quadrant.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on a larger scale; showing in detail the slide shifting mechanism and a portion of the tripping quadrant.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the elevating cam shaft'with the elevatin cam, and showinga portion of the turn-ta le spindle in lower position.

Fig. 6 is a simila: view showing the spindle in elevated position.

Fig. 7 is a plan of a fragment of the machine, parts being broken away to indicate the tone arm leg engaging a stop dog. K

Fig. 8 is an underneath perspective of one of the yielding stop dogs.

Fig. l9 is a detail, sectional View showing the yieldable dog shifted to outer position and locked temporarily against retraction.

Fig. 10 is s'. detail', sectional view ofv the tone arm foot bearing on the tone arm carrier.

Fig. 11 is aw plan showing in .detail the tripping quadrant and one of the elevator shafts about to be actuated thereby, and showing in detail means for shifting the elevating shaft slide.'

Fig. 12 is a vertical section and side elevation, showing the motor shaft governor to regulate the speed of the machine.v H

lFig. 13 is a large scale vertical section and side elevation of the gearing which operates relative mechanisms in the machine.

yThe invention is embodied ina machine having a plurality of vertical spindles 2,

which are suitably journaled in superposed -frame platesv 3 and 4, and below these is a spindles being arranged in a common circle Arranged in the geometrical center of the gOUP of turn-tables is a vertical' tone armi y column 7, which is suitably secured to the' bottom plate 5. The tone .arm T Carrying the sound box B is pivoted on the top of the f column 7 to freely swing about the same; the column 7 forming a continuation fof the.;A

sound tube and leading to any horn or other amplifying outlet chamber not shown.

The tone arm T is provided with a downwardly extending leg 8, which has an adjustable socket 9 carrying a yieldable support 10, which is normallypressed downward by a spring 11 in the socket 9. This device Jforms a foot on the lower end of the leg, the pin 10 preferably having a rounded bearing point, which is normally supported on top of a'rotating. carrier 12 surrounding the arm column 7 and rotating thereabout. The carrier 12 is in the form of a plate or ,fiat ring and is ixedly attached to a gear 13 disposed below the carrier 12 in a stationary barre-l 14 xed between the top plate 3 and the intermediate plate 4; the carrier 12 being countersunk in the top plate 3 as shown in Fig. 13.

n the barrel 14 is a bearing shelf 15 or other suitable part, in which is journaled the upper end of a vertical shaft 16, to which is secured a pinion 17. The pinion 17 engages an intermediate gear 18, which engages and constantly drives the carrier gear 13. I The shaft 16 has secured to it a large gea wheel 16and this engages a gear 20, forming a portion of a sleeve 21, upon which is keyed a worm-wheel 22.

The worm-wheel is en ged by a worm 23` fixed on the motor sha t 24, which extends horizontally and is driven by a suitable motor M.

The shaft 16 is therefore driven by the gear and it carries av beveled gear 16 engaging a gear .25 secured on a horizontally extending Shaft 26, which is provided with a worm 27 constantly engaging a wormwheel 28. This worm-wheel is keyed on the hollow shaft 29, rotatably mounted on the fixed tone arm column 7. v

The hollow shaft 29 passes through and forms a bearing for the sleeve 21, and on vthe lower end of the hollow shaft 29 there is'keyed the hub 3 0 of a tripping device in the form of a quadrant 31, Fig. 11.

rio

On the nb 30 is provided an anti-friction hearing 3 and upon this rests a ring 33 keyedbn the lower end of the sleeve`21. Fixed to the ring 33 and sleeve 21 is a horizontally arranged master` turn-table driving wheel 34 of any suitable construct-ion, and the rim of which is preferably provided with an efficient friction face, as a rubber orV leather ring 35. From the above it will be seen that power from the motor is transmitted to the drive-sleeve 21 and from this theimaster-wheel is driven and also thel gear 16a is driven, and the gear 16a, by means of its shaft 16, drives the carrier gear.13 and ythe carrier, thus providing a simple, substantial, reliable and accurate transmit- `ting niechanism for various parts, as will be described.

The various record turn-tables 6 are adapted to be raised from a common plane, when in retracted position to an effective position to move the records successively into engagement with the needle in the sound box. The tone arm and the sound box move constantly in a'fixed horizontal plane while being supported by the rotating carrier 12. However, it is possible to li'lt the tone arm T on a horizontal axis if necessary.

The tone arm carrier rotates at a given rate of speed so as to swing it from one disc to another in ample time to be posi- Ationed above the disc on each table before -Since .it is possible the table is elevated. to utilize two sizes of discs on the tables, it is necessary to provide 'means for accurately defining the stopping position of the tone arm at predetermined locations so that it will properly register with the starting curve of a disc of either size. To that end there is provided in the top plate 3, just outside of the rim of the carrier 12, a pluralit of sets of dogs, each set including a pair. ne of the dogs, as 40, of each pair is stationary and stands vertically in the path of a toe 8a of the foot portion of the leg 8. This toe is so positioned as to engage successively the fixed dogs 40 as the tone arm is swung around by the carrier 12 in the direc-tion of the arrow thereon, Fig. 7. The dogs 40 are so positioned with respect to the axis of the carrier 12 and as to the axes of the spindles 2 that the tone arm T will be 1 stoppedby each dog 40 in such position as to present the needle N .of the sound box so as to properly register with the starting groove'of a 10 record. Since a 12 record has its starting groove of a greater diameter than the starting groove of a 10 record, it is desirable and necessary to position the arm T at successive locations over each disc turn-table 6 as to register with the initial groove of a 12 record.- To that end it is necessary to provide a dog 41, which canv be shifted into effective position to engage with the swinging toe 8 of the tone arm and thus stop it with the needle N in position to engage the starting groove of a 12 record. This adjustable dog 41 is normally moved to a retracted and clearing position, as` for instance, by means of a spring 42 attached to the top plate 3, which is slotted at 43 to receive the upwardly extending arm or dog 41 to which the spring is attached.

Each dog 4l is pivoted on a support 43 and carries a horizontally extending arm 44 projee-ting in under the gear wheel 28, Fig. 9. This wheel is provided with a. dog-locking rail 45 of such length as to move over the arm V44 andhold it to maintain the dog 41 in the set position against the retraction of the spring 42. The dog 41 is thrown to its outer position in the path of the toe 8a by the application of a 12" record D', Fig. 9. Should the dog 41 be released from contact lwith a recordlwhiile therail 45 is in engagement with the arm 44, it will be seen that the Adog would 'still be in the set and inter cepting position: 4

Froi'nthe above it will. be seen -that there is provided for each turn-table 6 a pair of dogs 40v and 41, spaced. from each other in such position that when the adjustable dog 41 is released, the swinging tone arm will be stopped by the fixed dog 40 and the-refore position the needle for a 10 record without interference of the adjustable dog. Application of a 12 record to a. turn-table sets adjustable dog 41-so thatit will stop the tone arm for a 12" record.

The tables are elevated in the following manner: The lower end `of each spindle 2 is designed to bear upon a cam 50` of suitable design and which is fixed on a. cani shaft 51,

mounted in suitable"-bearingsV 52 on the bottom plate 5 of the frame; therebeing acam shaft 51 for each turn-table spindle 2. lEach.

cam shaft has splined thereon a tripping lug 53, normally projecting upwardly as in Fig. 4, to be engaged by the slowly rotating tripping quadrant 31 above qdescribed.V

As the quadrant engages thetrippin lug 53 on a cam shaft, the latter is rotate and the tripping lug tilted to the dotted line position, Fig. 4, concurrently with which action the cam of the shaft 51 turns from a' horizontal to an upright position, and thereforecarries the turn-table spindle thereof of upwardly and shiftsthe record onjthe respective turn-table into eii'ective engagement with the needle N of the sound box which has been previously swung Ainto its proper position by its carrier 12. The up ward movement of the turn-table spindle 2 is gradual so as to prevent injury to the record and to the needle.

After the disc has been' elevated to the proper position` it is then rotated. -Rotation is securedl by means of the master-wheel 34. which is of such diameter as to enga e with one another of a series of pulley whee s 54, of which there is one on each 'shaft or spindle 2 of the turn-tables. As the pulley wheels 54 move upwardly, after the needle ot' the sound box has engaged the record, the wheels contact with the, driving face 35 pi the master pulley or driving wheel 34 and rotation of the turntables is started.

Since records are of diierent lengths of grooves, it is desirable -to provide for the automatic disengagement of t-he driving pulleys 54 from the master-wheel 34 as soon as the reproduction of lthe record has been completed, irrespective of the ,length of the grooves on the various records. stoppingmeans are provided and which here include the tripping quadrant 31.

cessively, the cam shaft lugs 53. Todetermine the period of co-action between a turn- Therefore i This, y quadrant, as above explained, engages, suctable pulley 54 and the driving wheel 34, the cam shaft lug 53 provided for longitudinal adjustment alon its shaft 51 and this adjustment is secure by a slide 55 mounted on each shaft 51 and from which slide ex- V63. By preliminary examination the length of the recordgroove on each record disc is ascertained and it isgiveii an index number corresponding to one-of the index numbers 62 on the setting dials 61. When a record disc of a given index number is applied to any of the tables, the setting shaft 59 is operated by its knob to shift the rack 57 to such a position'as desired, according tothe index. This adjustment shifts the tripping finger 5 3 on a cam shaft 51 radially withrespect to the axis of rotation of a quadrant 31..A This has a leading o`r front edge 31B, which is radial to the center ofthe quadrant so that all of the lugs 53 are engaged at any` position thereof along the front edge ofthe quadrant. The rear trailing edge of the quadrant is shownvas fprovided withl a plurality of let-ofi' steps or shoulders 31h, which are each placed con- 31" of the quadrant provides for the short- `est arc of contact between the leading edge 3l'a of the uadrant and the saidoutermost let-o5 sliou der 31". This, therefore, provides foi" therelease of a cam shaft lug 53 after the shortest period of contact of the quadrant 31 with. the lug 53 as for reproduction roina short record. In such case the 'lug 53 is previousl adjusted to its outermost vposition by the sli e 55 when the indexv shaft quadrant/31 for the longest period as de- Itermined by the length of the longest arc contacted at 31.

While the needle is in engagement with a, record itjs propelled thereby and as soon as the record is retracted upon disengagement of a cam lug 53 from the travelin quadrant 31, then the foot pin 10 is again owered to centrically and oset radially as to the axis i, of rotation ofthe quadrant 31. Therefore,

as here shown, the outermost let-oit shoiilder lll) the rotating carrier 12 and this with reason.;

able speed carries the tone arm T around until it is engaged by one or the other of the dogs 40-41, at which place the tone arm will be stopped, while somewhat lowered,anci lisa lthe motor M.

Any suitable means may be employed to regulate the speed of the turn-tables and this may conveniently consist 'of a brake devi acting on the motor governor. In Fig. 12 there is shown a thumb wheel on-the shaft 71, above the top plate 3. On the lower end of the shaft is a gear 72, engaging another gear 7 3 fixed on the worm shaft 74, the worm 15 of which engages a threaded nut member 76. This member is ivoted in the arm 77 of a brake lever 78, w ich carries a friction shoe 79. This shoe engages a disc 80 attached to spring bars 81, connected to a sleeve 82, fixed on the motor shaft. The spring bars 81 have weights 83, so that, during operation centrifugal force tends to spring the links or bars 81 outwardly and thus draw the brake disc 80 against the brake shoe 79, the friction of. which, therefore, retards the rotation of the motor shaft and the mechanism driven thereby.

When the tone armis elevatedby the upward movement of the record disc, the toe of the leg is lifted over the top of the restrain-4 ing dog so that the tone arm is then free to rotate under the control of the grooves ofthe record40 When the table descends with the record, thetone arm swings down and the foot pin engages the top of its carrier, which holds the needle just' above the top plane of the records on the table so that the needle can swing over one record to the next without scratching the faces thereof. f

Further embodiments, modiications and changes may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention as her`e claimed;

Wha-t is claimed iszl 1. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, operating means therefor, a reproducer mounted concentrically within said series'of supports, means operating automatically to move the reproducer successively from one record to another, said supports includin turn-tables lying in a common plane w en4 in inoperative position and means for elevating the supports. f

2. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, means for rotating said supports successively, a reproducer series 'of record supports, means for rotating said supports successively', a reproducen mounted concentricafly within said circular 'series of supports, means for moving said reproducer successively from one reco-rd supd port to another, and means for successively elevating each 'record support, the rotating means being` effective upon the elevated supports.

4. A phonograph comprising` a circular series of record supports, means for rotating said supports succeively, a reproducer mounted concentrically within said circular series of supports, means for moving said reproducer successively from one record supportto another, and means for successively elevating each record support, the rotating means being effective upon the elevated supports, said elevating means being operative to lift each support for a predetermined period.

5. A' phonograph comprising a circular series 'of record supports, means for rotating said supports successively, a. reproducer mounted concentrically within said circular series of supports, means for moving said reproducer successively from one record support to another, means for successively elevating each record support, the rotating means'being effective -upon the elevated supports, said velevating means bein operative to lift each support for a pre etermined period, and having means for holding each support `=in elevated ition for periods o diferent`lengths of tlme.-

6. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, all resting, when inoperative', in a common plane, drivlng means common tol all of said supports2 meansoperating automatically to elevate said supports into and remove them from operatlve relation to said driving means successively, and a reproducer mounted above said supports to engage records thereon.

7. A phonograph comprising a circuiar series yof record supports,all resting, when inoperative, in a common plane, driving means common to all of said supports, means operating automatically to elevate said supports into and remove them from operative relation to said driving means successiveiy, a reproducer mounted above said supports to engage records thereon, and means operF ative automatically to shift the reprodncer successively from support to support..v

8. A phonograph comprising a circular series of horizontall l ports, each diswsed),7 when idle, in a common planeta 'swinging reproducer arranged arranged record supincensi above the said supports, means for automat1 drive device.

9. A phonograph comprising a circular ,series of horizontally arranged record supports, each disposed, when idle, in a common plane, a swinging reproducer arranged above the said supports, means for automatically shifting the reproducer successively from one support to another, a conimon drive device for the supports, and means for successively raising the "supports, and operatively connecting the same with said common drive device, said shifting means and said elevating means operating constantly and at differential rates of speed so that the reproducer is carriedto a predetermined position prior to the lifting of the record support thereat.

10. A phonograph comprising a circular series of horizontally arranged record supports, each disposed, when idle, in a coinly from onesupport to another, a common drive device for the supports, means for successively raising the supports and opera- ,tively connecting the same with said common drive device, and means forstopping Athe swinging reproducer at a predetermined location over each record support.

11. A phonograph comprising a circular series of horizontally arranged record supports, each disposed, when idle, in a common plane, a swinging reproducer arranged above the said supports, means for automatically shifting the reproducer successively from' one support to another, a common drive de-` vice or the supports, means for successively raising the supports and operatively connecting the same with said common drive device, andymeansfor stopping the swinging reproducer at a vpredetermined location over each record supportLsaid means'providing for the stopping of a reproducer at either of two positions over a support according to the diameter of the record to be engaged by the reproducer. f

12. Avphonograph comprising a circular series of horizontally arranged record supports, each disposed, when idle, in a common plane, a swinging reproducer arranged above the said supports, means for automatically shifting the reproducer successively from one support to another, a. common drive device or the supports, means for successively raising the supports and operatively connecting the same with said common drive device, and means for stopping the swinging reproducer ata predetermined location over retracted positions, means for automatieach record support, said means incliiding an adjustable stop operatively set bythe application of a large record.

' 13. A phonograph comprising a circular series of horizontally arranged record supports, each disposed, when idle, in a com-l mon plane, a swinging reproducer arranged above the said supports, means for automati` cally shifting the reproducer successively from one support to another, a common drive device for the supports, meansv for successively raising the supports and open atively connecting the same with said com- `mon drivev device, means lfor stoppingthe swinging reproducer at a predetermined lo. cation over each record support, said means including an adjustablefstop operatively set by the application of a large record, and a fixed stop in a position subsequent to the position of the adjustable stop, for limiting the movement of the reproducer to position it for engagement with a small record.

14. A phonograph comprising a circular series of horizontally arranged record sup-- ports, each disposed, when idle, in a common plane, a swinging reproducer arranged above the said supports, means for automatically shifting theA reproducer successively from one support to another, a common drive device for thesupports, means Ifor successively raising the supports and operatively connecting the same with said common drive device, means 'for stopping the swinging reproducer at a predetermined location over each record support,

` said means including a'n adjustable stop operatively set by the application of a large record, and means forilocking the adjustable stop for a predetermined period independently of the large record.

15. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, each having a vertical yspindle, a reproducer mountedn above the plane of the supports intheir retracted positions, means for automati- .cally swinging the reproducer from one support to another to engage records thereon, andvcain means operatively combined with the said spindles for selectively elevating the same.

16. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, each having a vertical spindle, a reproducer mounted above the plane 'of the supports in their cally swinging the reproducer from one support to another to engage records thereon, a cam means operatively combined with the said spindles for selectively elevating the saine, and a common tripping .member successively engaging said cam means so as to operate the same to elevatethe spindles and their records.

17. Aphonograph comprising a circular l series of record supports, each having a and supports in elevated positions for va,. riable periods of time,'. according to the successively,engaging said cam means so as to operatethe'same to elevate the spindles and their records, said tripping member providing for the holding of the spindles and supports in elevated positions for variable periods of time, according to the length of the record .groove on the record engaged by the reproducer. 1

18. Afphonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, each having a vertical spindle, a reproducer mounted above the plane of the supports in-their retracted positions, means for automatically svvinging the reproducer from one support to another to engagefrecords thereon, a cam means operatively combined with the said spindles for selectively elevating the same, and a common tripping mem-ber successively engaging said cam means so as to operate the same to elevate the-spindles and their records, said tripping" member l providing for the holding of the spindles length of the record groove on the record l engaged by the reproducer, said cam means including an adjustable tripping lug engageable by the tripping member.

19. A phonograph comprising a circular series of record supports, each having a vertical spindle, a reproducer mounted above the plane of the supports in their retracted positions, means for automatically svvinging the reproducer from one support to another to engage records thereon, a cam means operatively combined with the said spindlesk.fonselectively elevating the same, and' a common tripping member successively'engaging said cam means so as to operate the same to elevate the spindles and their records, said tripping member providing for the holding of the spindles and supports in elevated positions for variable periods of time, according to the length of theyv record groove on the record engaged byA the reproducer, said cam means including an adjustable trip ing lug engageable by the tripping mem er, said tripping member being provided With concentric zones of contact, each zone of di'erent length, and with which said tripping lug is designed? to selectively' co-operate.

ln testimony whereof l have/signed my name to this specification. 1

WILLIAM n. nana?. 

